Santa Claus is real but dead: Archaeologists say they’ve found his tomb in Turkey
Thursday, October 5, 2017 IST
Archaeologists claim to have discovered the tomb of Saint Nicholas -- whose habit of secret gift-giving gave rise to the legend of Santa Claus -- beneath the ruins of a church in Turkey.
Researchers unearthed an intact temple underneath the Saint Nicholas Church in the Demre district.
A special section was found in the temple during scientific and technological works, with speculations that the tomb may be buried there.
Researchers came across an untouched shrine while conducting digital surveys below the surface of the church, said Cemil Karabayram, Antalya Director of Surveying and Monuments in Turkey.
Scientific and technological studies had revealed the existence of an intact tomb under the church, researchers said.
“We believe this shrine has not been damaged at all, but it is quite difficult to get to it as there are mosaics on the floor” Karabayram told ‘Hurriyet Daily News’.
Till now it was believed that the bones of St Nicholas were in Italy, researchers said.
“We studied all of the documents from between 1942 and 1966. There were some notes there. According to these notes, this church was demolished and rebuilt.”
“During the reconstruction, traders in Bari took the bones. But it is said that these bones did not belong to St Nicholas but to another priest,” Karabayram said.
Researchers have been working for three months and a CT scan, a geo-radar and eight academics have been brought in for the excavation work at the last stage.
“The world’s eyes will be set on here. We claim that St Nicholas has been kept in this temple without any damage. We are at the last stage,” Karabayram said.
Related Topics
Trending News & Articles
Quatrain 75, Century X
Long awaited, he will not take birth in Europe,
India will produce the immorta...
Recently posted . 20K views . 2 min read
Secret's of Alauddin Khilji's sexuality
Several historians argue that the roots of ancient Indian history, especially linked to ...
Recently posted . 8K views . 1 min read
There are various challenging stories about Rani Padmavati otherwise known as Padmini. While from one viewpoint, the Rajputs keep up the holiness of everything iden...
Recently posted . 5K views . 1 min read
The kangaroo is a marsupial. A distinctive characteristic common to marsupials is that, with most, the young are carried around in a pouch. They are mainly found in...
Recently posted . 5K views . 1 min read
More in History & Classics
On this day, 110 years ago, a boy was born in Lyallpur district of the Punjab Province of British India (which now lies in Pakistan) who, along with a fellow freedo...
Recently posted. 1K views . 29 min read
86 years ago today, one of India's greatest revolutionary freedom fighter, Bhagat Singh, was given the death penalty by the British colonisers. And though he ...
Recently posted. 1K views . 3 min read
"This is the biggest site where the remains of sacrificed children have been found," chief archeologist Feren Castillo told AFP on Tuesday.
Recently posted. 1K views . 1 min read
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 3K views
Recently posted . 3K views
Today is Tuesday, Oct. 4, the 278th day of 2016. There are 88 days left in the year.
Today’s High...
Recently posted. 1K views . 2 min read
Most of us are too young to know about old-fashioned dating habits. But if you’ve seen old movies, then you know men used to call a lady to ask her on a date ...
Recently posted. 1K views . 2 min read